Fuse



F b, 25, 1941 J. H. CHURCH ETAL FUSE Filed Feb. 6, 1940 Patented F eh. 25, 1941 "UNITED STATES FUSE Joseph Church, Austin, Minn., and Gregory J. Kessenich, Madison, Wis.

'ApplicationFcbruary c, 1940, Serial No. 317,559 6 Claims. (c1. 1o2 s9) (Granted under the act of Marthe, 1883, as amended April so, 192s; are 0. c. 751)..

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or. for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a fuse for a projectile.

In U. S. Patent 639,214 and in French Patents 504,857 and 516,457 there are shown projectiles loaded with nitroglycerin and an absorbent which remain insensitive until the nitroglycerin is separated from the absorbent under the influence of centrifugal force due to rotation of the projectile. Because of the dead space occupied by the absorbent the explosive force of the nitroglycerin is generally insufficient to properly fragment the projectile.

In providing a projectile which is arranged to carry a relatively large charge of high explosive that is to be initiated by a relatively small charge of nitroglycerin which is to serve as a supersensitive fuse, the space limitations of a fuse casing for a small caliber projectile and practical considerations of manufacture and assembly impose restrictions on structural arrangements.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a fuse in which a centrally carried initiating explosive is displaceable radially under the influence of centrifugal force to position it underneath a firing member which serves as a cap for the projectile.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a projectile and the improved fuse;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the fuse.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a projectile comprising a shell or casing 5 having a closed base and an open front end and' providing a chamber for receiving a relatively large main charge 6.

The mouth of the casing is formed with a counterbored recess 1 which establishes a shoulder 8 for seating a ring 9. The ring constitutes a cushioning member and may be of Wax or a yielding metal such as lead.

Seated on the ring 9 and disposed within the recess I is a capsule (0 which may be made of thin copper material. Within the capsule there is an initiating charge II, for example, nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent such as kieselguhr or fullers earth. This charge is normally insensitive but becomes sensitive after the projectile is some distance in flight beyond the muzzle of the gun, the nitroglycerin separating out from the absorbent under the influence of centrifugal force and moving radially in the capsule.

While the nitroglycerin and absorbent may occupy the entire space in the capsule, the charge is preferably spaced radially from the outer wall of the capsule to provide a marginal chamber l2 and it is held centrally by a foraminous member 39 I3 illustrated a a screen.

An ogival cap 14 preferably hollow is provided with a cylindrical base l5 which is inserted in the recess 1 and overlies and may bear against the marginal portion of the capsule Ill directly above 15 the marginal chamber l2. The base is mounted so that it may be driven rearwardly on impact, the sensitivity to movement being determined by the specific expedient employed to secure it in place, in the present instance, the mounting be- 20 ing by frictional engagement of relatively short length with the wallof the casingi.

In operation, the ring 9 serves as a cushion for supporting the capsule l0 against the force of set-back on firing the projectile. During flight the initiator, separating from the absorbent when nitroglycerin is used, is driven radially outward under the influence of centrifugal force, passes through the foraminous member I3 and is deposited in the marginal chamber [2. On impact 30 the cap is driven rearwardly and the cylindrical base crushes the marginal portion of the capsule and causes explosion of the initiator which in turn detonates the main charge.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the ring 35 I6, capsule I1, and cap l8 are assembled in a cup l9 which constitutes a container and is inserted as a unit in the front end of the projectile. In this instance the ring I5 is peripherally spaced from the side of the cup in any con- 40 venient manner, as by pins 20, to provide a marginal chamber 2| directly in rear of the marginal chamber 22 established between the initiator 23 and the side wall of the capsule, The ring is provided with flash passages-24 leading to the. 45 main charge 25. The action of this fuse is similar to that of Fig. 1.

We claim:

1. In a fuse, a container, a cushioning ring in the container, a capsule seated on the ring, an 50 initiating charge in the capsule comprising nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent and adapted to be separated from the absorbent under the influence of centrifugal force, a foraminous member enclosing the initiating charge and at spaced from the side wall of the capsule to provide a marginal chamber, and an ogival cap having a cylindrical base inserted in the'container and disposed over the marginal portion of the capsule.

2. In a fuse, a container, a cushioning ring in the container, a capsule seated on the ring, an initiating charge in the capsule and adapted to be radially displaced under the influence of centrifugal force, a foraminous member enclosing the initiating charge and spaced from the side wall of the capsule to provide a marginal chamber, and an ogival cap having a cylindrical base inserted in the container and disposed over the marginal portion of the capsule.

3. In a fuse, a container, a cushioning ring in the container, 8. capsule seated on the ring,---an initiating charge carriedcentrally in thecapsul'e and adapted to be radially displaced under the influence of centrifugal force, and an ogival cap having a base inserted in the container and disposed over the marginal portion of the capsule.

4. In a fuse, a container, a capsule in the container, an initiating charge in the capsule normally spaced from the side wall of the capsule and adapted to be moved towards the side wall under the influence oi centrifugal force, and a cap having a base inserted in the container and disposed over the marginal portion of the capsale.

5. In a fuse, a container, a capsule in the container, an initiating charge in the capsule comprising nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent and adapted to be separated from the absorbent under the influence of centrifugal force, and a cap having a base inserted in the container and disposed over the marginal portion of the capsule.

6. In a fuse, a container, 9. ring in the container and spaced from the side thereof, said ring having flash passages, a capsule seated on the ring, an initiating charge in the capsule norsule. 

